How to create and finalize an invoice on Mac

To create an invoice on a Mac in Swiftly Workspace, open Finance, then Customer Documents, click + and choose New Invoice. Pick the customer, create the draft, add your lines in the invoice's own window, then click Finalize Document when it is ready.

On a Mac, the list, the new-invoice form and the invoice itself each get a window, so you can keep them side by side. Working on iPhone or iPad instead? See how to create and finalize an invoice on iPhone or iPad, which follows the same six steps.

Before you start

• The customer exists. You pick the customer from a list. To add one, open Finance, then Customers.
• Your items exist. Each invoice line is based on an item, such as a service or a product. You find them under Finance, then Items.

Create and finalize an invoice in six steps

1. Open the list. In the sidebar, click Finance, then Customer Documents. You see your invoices, credit notes and proformas.
2. Start a new invoice. In the toolbar, click + (New Document) and choose New Invoice. A window for the new invoice opens.
3. Fill in the details. Under Customer, choose the customer. Document Type is already set to the invoice type. If the customer has default payment terms, Payment Terms fills in and reads Using customer's default terms. Check the Currency.
4. Create the draft. Click the checkmark in the toolbar (its tooltip says Create document). A short Document created successfully message appears, then the draft opens in a window of its own on the Overview tab and the form closes.
5. Add the lines. In the toolbar, click + (Add Line). In the Add Line Item sheet, search for the item, choose a Tax Rate, enter the Quantity and check the Unit Price, then click the checkmark (Add line). The line appears in the table on the Overview tab. Repeat for every line.
6. Finalize. Click Finalize Document in the toolbar, the seal icon. The invoice gets its number, and a Document finalized successfully message confirms it.

You can also act from the list: right-click a draft in Customer Documents to Edit, Finalize or Delete it straight from there.

Why every invoice starts as a draft

Every invoice in Swiftly starts as a draft, and a person finalizes it. Nothing goes out on its own. The draft gives you a moment to read the invoice the way your customer will: the right customer, the right lines, the right tax rate on each line, and payment terms that match what you agreed.

While it is a draft, you can add, edit and remove lines, or throw the whole draft away with Delete Draft in the toolbar. Once you finalize, the invoice is numbered and its lines are locked. If something turns out wrong afterwards, right-click the invoice in the list and choose Create Credit Note.

Our invoice checklist lists what to look at before you finalize, and how invoice numbering works explains why the number arrives at that moment and not earlier.

After you finalize

The finalized invoice stays in Customer Documents and on the customer's record. When the customer pays, you record the payment and allocate it to the invoice; recording a payment on Mac walks through that. For the bigger picture, read why a CRM with invoicing beats two separate tools.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Finalize Document grayed out?

The button stays disabled while the draft has no lines. Add at least one line with + on the Overview tab, and it becomes available.

How do I make a credit note on a Mac?

Start from the invoice it corrects. Right-click the finalized invoice in Customer Documents and choose Create Credit Note. The + menu has no credit note entry, because a credit note always refers back to an invoice.

Can I edit a draft invoice after creating it?

Yes. Double-click the draft in Customer Documents, or right-click it and choose Edit. On its Overview tab you can add, change or remove lines until you finalize.

Can I throw away a draft invoice?

Yes. Click Delete Draft in the draft's toolbar, or right-click it in the list and choose Delete. A finalized invoice can't be deleted this way; correct it with a credit note instead.